1
as in to moisten
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampen
By dampening activity only in these areas, RAP-219 is designed to dial down seizures without triggering any sedating/motor function side effects often associated with broader-acting drugs.
—
New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2025
But none of this has dampened the their desires to train and compete.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 11 Sep. 2025
Large area rugs bring a cozy touch, in addition to dampening some of the cafe's ambient noise.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2025
Year to year, too, the season swings wildly, soaking the desert one summer and barely dampening it the next.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2025
But none of this has dampened the their desires to train and compete.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 11 Sep. 2025
Large area rugs bring a cozy touch, in addition to dampening some of the cafe's ambient noise.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2025
Year to year, too, the season swings wildly, soaking the desert one summer and barely dampening it the next.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampen
Verb
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This blaze is intense enough that firefighters used water lines to moisten the soil around trees and wrapped their trunks with fire-resistant foil blankets.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
20 Sep. 2025
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Backfill the area with soil to cover the roots, tamp it down to get rid of any air pockets, and water to moisten the soil thoroughly.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The researchers believe that the benefit likely comes from aspirin acting in several ways – by reducing inflammation and inhibiting platelet function and tumor growth.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Sep. 2025
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In 2016, court filings indicate Gamez Lira was charged with possession of marijuana but ultimately pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after the charges were reduced.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This slow adoption stems from a low tolerance for errors, past disappointments with AI and a belief that years of legal training shouldn't be undermined by machine learning—all valid perspectives widely discussed in the industry.—
Matthew Sole,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Here's one simple mistake that can undermine all your pasta-making efforts.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Apply to damp hair before blow-drying or air-drying, or once it’s already styled as a glossing, smoothing top-up.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Within minutes we were crouched over fresh elephant tracks, the earth still damp.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But with Burrow now looking likely to miss the majority of the regular season, those chances look severely diminished.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
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One potential problem with this set-up is that the SCORE Act diminishes the role of state law in subject areas traditionally governed by states.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Federal Reserve is closely watching spending trends as policymakers debate a path for interest rate cuts — with the first trim expected Wednesday — but signs of a weakening labor market loom over the economy.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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While the greenback has depreciated against other major currencies this year, with the dollar index tumbling over 10%, those currencies have also weakened in value relative to gold, Dalio said, noting that gold has become the second largest reserve currency globally.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Before going in, run the inside of your mouth with your tongue to wet every surface.—
Ian Kumamoto,
Them.,
10 Sep. 2025
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Increase the resistance on this exercise by wetting the towel first.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Thin sound deadening The Enabling Technology prize went to CompositeEdge GmbH and ATA Mute BV for a new kind of sound deadening.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 Sep. 2025
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Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampen. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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